Journey Unknown
by Wahlzie
Summary: Don, Charlie, David, Colby, and Meghan are led on a chase through the wilderness in search of a deadly killer.
1. Hitting the Road

"Let me go with you. I can help you. I can figure out different equations on our way, take down all the notes I need and it will go faster."

"Charlie, I'm not going to take you on a chase in the mountains. Were chasing this Daniel Carr guy, a man who has killed 21 people," Don answered his little brother.

"Don. Lets be reasonable here. If I go, then we can track him much faster then if it were just you, Meghan, Colby, and David," Charlie explained to Don, as both the Eppes sat at the dining room table of their childhood home.

"The answer is no Charlie. I know that you don't usually get the concept of no, but that's my final answer," Don firmly stated. Charlie groaned and flew his curly head back in frustration.

"Remember last time we went through the mountains? When we were tracking that McHugh guy? Was I useful then?" Charlie asked his brother.

"It's not a matter of you being useful or not, it's the matter that your a math professor, not an FBI agent," Don argued. Before Charlie could argue back, there was a knock on the door. Don rose from his chair and answered the door. Meghan, David, and Colby stood on the outside.

"You ready to go?" David asked.

"Yeah I'm ready," Don replied, showing the three agents into the house.

"Don we got a problem though," Meghan said.

"What?" Don asked, almost afraid to know.

"We have an entire chart here with information that could make it easier and faster to find Daniel Carr. How are we going to figure this out? It's all this statistical information. I mean I can decipher some of it, but most of it is looking like Charlie language," Meghan explained. "The only problem is we have to leave now."

Don looked across the room Charlie, who was looking up at him expectantly. He sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair. "All right Charlie, go pack a few pairs a clothes and lets go."

A smile spread across Charlie's face as he got up from the table. "You won't regret this Don, you really won't," he blurted out in excitement.

"All right, quit hailing your praises to me and go get packed," Don shooed his litter brother away from him. "And don't pack to much stuff, we all have to fit in my SUV!" Don called up the stairs.

"I won't," Charlie answered from his room.

"And don't bring any of those damn math text books either, they take up to much space."

"I won't."

"And no hair gel either! Every time we go away you bring like 12 bottles. Were not going to look pretty were going to find a killer."

"I know Don!" Charlie called from upstairs.

"Geez Don, why don't you just tell him to bring a toothbrush and lets go," Colby snorted.

"Yeah well, it usually isn't pretty when we go away. I swear I think he brings the entire solarium with him," Don answered Colby's joke.

"Ready!" Charlie proclaimed as he jumped down the last two stairs, a duffle bag in hand.

"All right, lets go. Daniel Carr here we come," Don said as he put on his sunglasses, and shut the door to the Eppes home.

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**PLEASE R&R! thanks so much!**


	2. Ribs or Hooves

_WOW! thanks for all the positive reviews! This chapter is pretty much just a comic relief chapter...trust me, you'll need with all the drama that is to come. And as for what happens in this chapter, I didn't think it up...it actually happened to me. Every bit of it. (except for the fact that it occured in Pennsylvania in the moutains!) Alot of the dialogue is what was said when this happened to us. It was actually really funny!_

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After about three hours in the car, Don pulled over at a small diner. The team was deep in mountains by this time. Meghan, who was sitting the passenger's seat, stepped out of the SUV and stretched.

"I hate long car rides," she said.

"Aw, lets all feel sorry for the princess," Colby smirked as he stepped out of the car.

"Shut it Granger," Meghan snapped.

"Man I could use some grub," David said.

"Where's Charlie?" Don asked. Charlie had been sitting in the trunk of the SUV with all the luggage. He politely offered to sit back there, saying that 'Meghan's a lady and Colby and David were to big.' Don opened the large back door of the SUV. Sure enough, there was Charlie, bent in the strangest angle Don had ever seen, fast asleep.

"Hey, Charlie, buddy wake up," Don shook his little brother. The mathematician opened his brown eyes.

"Are we there?" Charlie asked his older brother.

"Nah, we still have about seven hours ahead of us. We just stopped to get a bite to eat," Don explained. "No get your skinny ass up."

Once inside the team was seated and given their menus. They looked around and realized nobody else was in the restaurant.

"Well, the rib special looks good. How about we get three orders and all split it," Don suggested. Everyone agreed with the idea.

"I guess this place really isn't the hit of the town," Colby observed as the team waited for their food.

"What town?" Charlie snorted.

"True that," David smiled.

"How far in the mountains are we?" Meghan asked.

"Well, right now were in Fairview. Were headed for Elk Creek. That's way up north. About seven more hours on the road and we'll be there," Don informed the team, who let out a loud groan. "Oh quit your whining at least were not sitting in the stuffy office," Don chuckled.

"Yeah that's true," Meghan agreed.

"Here's your food," the waitress said as she set down the ribs. After she left, the team just stared at them.

"Are you sure this isn't a dead moose in the area," Charlie said, entranced by the site of the ribs, that looked more like hooves. Don picked up a fork and poked the ribs.

"Is there even meat on these things," Don observed. All five of them looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"Yo, I'll pay anyone who takes a bite of that five bucks," David laughed.

"Oh hell I'll do it for five bucks," Don answered.

"What the hell is there on those things that's edible," Colby breathed between his laughter.

"I have no idea but here goes nothing," Don said, as he jabbed his fork into the 'hoof.' Don quickly shoved the meat that he was actually able to get off of the unidentifiable food into his mouth. "Oh god, this tastes like ass," he said as he chewed it. The team burst into another fit of laughter.

"Excuse me miss, but could you tell us what this is," Colby called and waitress over.

"Well, I really don't know sir. What is it supposed to be?" the waitress asked, causing the FBI team to roar with laughter. After a little while, the manger began to walk around and ask everyone how their food was. (Another customer had come in a little while after the team entered.) Finally the manger reached the groups table.

"How are your meals," the manager asked.

"Sir, could you please tell us what this is," Don pointed to the ribs. A startled look came across the managers face. "I haven't the foggiest! Are you sure there isn't a dog missing in the neighborhood?"

The comments caused the table to erupt in laughter for the third time. The manager didn't even know what the food was supposed to be!

After a little down time at the table, Don paid the check and the team got up. "All right, now in all seriousness. Charlie on the way there start working on the stats Meghan gave you."

"Got it," Charlie said as he grabbed the clipboard and climbed into the back of the SUV.

"Colby, do you have the map?" Don asked.

"Check," he replied.

"All right, here we go. Fare well Fairview," Don said, as he pulled out of the restaurant parking lot.

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**please R&R! thanks!**


	3. Lost

_Thank you for all the reviews and for waitingso patiently! I promise...the next chapters will be so much better then this one so hold on to your seat because theres alot drama, and suspense coming your way!_

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The Team sat in the car, incredibly bored and almost every limb on their body was asleep. Charlie's arms were drape over the back seat between David and Colby, his head leaning lazily on the seat also. Charlie had finished with the stats. He actually didn't really turn up with anything new. The group had been trying to figure out something to do for the past couple hours. They had only been on the road for about 3 hours since they had left the diner and were incredibly restless. Charlie's stomach growled with hunger. He pulled one of the five paper bags full of food in the back towards him. Inside contained a box of saltines, 2 boxes of pretzel sticks, A loaf of bread, peanut butter, and a large carton of cheddar goldfish. Charlie pulled out the box of saltines.

"Is it okay if I have some crackers?" Charlie asked.

"Don't eat to many we need food to eat later," Don explained.

Charlie sighed at the thought of living off crackers and pretzels for awhile.

"You know, it's impossible to eat six saltines in a minute," Colby told the group.

"Not ah," Charlie denied.

"Lets see you try then," Colby laughed.

"Fine," Charlie agreed.

"Alright I'll tell you when to go," Meghan said, looking at the clock in the car. When it changed she exclaimed, "Go!". The whole group, besides Don of course who was driving, were laughing hysterically as they watched Charlie try to guzzle down the crackers. When the minute was up he had only eaten 4.

"That's harder then I thought. It makes your mouth really dry," Charlie complained.

"Told ya," Colby said smugly.

"So, where are we?" David asked Don.

"Truthfully," Don sighed.

"No I don't want you to tell me." David said. "Of course I do, spill."

"We've been going down this deserted, dirt mountain road through the woods for about 2 hour, taking what I presumed were the right turns," Don confessed.

"Man your kidding me right?" David said irritated.

"I thought we were going the right way. Now I don't even know where we are," Don said looking at the map.

"Don pay attention to the road," Meghan yelled as Don looked up from the map but it was to late. The SUV swerved off the dirt and road and slammed into a tree.

"Is everyone alright," Don yelled. 4 voices in unison replied yes. Don stepped out of the car. The front of the car was ruined. He tried to start it again but it was in vain.

"Are you saying were lost in the woods with a killer on the loose?" Colby groaned.

"No we can find out way back," Don reassured.

"How?", David asked. "We don't even know where we are and by the looks of the road, a car hasn't passed by here in years.

Don sighed. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.

"This is just great. What the hell are we going to do?" Colby said, trying not to yell.

"Call someone," Don said, bringing out his cell phone. "Oh man. No service in the middle of the woods." Not one member of the groups cell phone had service. "Well guys, set up camp. Looks like this is where we are spending the night," Don said. When he looked up from the map he was met by 4 pairs of angry eyes.

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**Please R&R!**


	4. Run

_Okay, I'm sorry this took forever to update. Has anyone else's upload things not been working lately? That's what happened to me, and why this update sook so long. And I also know you guys and girls may be like that's stupid, their walkie-talkies would still work in the middle of the woods. Wrong. My dad is a cheif in the Philadelphia fire department and their walkie talkies don't even work when the step away a couple steps in a birning building. So yeah, the walkie-talies are just expensive peices of junk lol. Not even my aunt who was in the Police Department walkie-talie ever worked.Well, I hope youl ike this Chapter. I just puased Grey's Anatomy so I could come up and post it lol, I just got the season DVD today! Well...enjoy!_

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Darkness fell upon the thick woods as the team settled down for the night. Not even theirwalkie-talkies had worked in the forest. They started a fire and sat around it. Colby and Charlie lounged in the trunk of the SUV, the trunk door open as they chatted with Meghan, Don and David, whom were seated on the ground by the fire. The group snacked on pretzels and crackers as they sat around the blaze.

"I really don't like the idea of being in the middle of the woods in the dark. A little to Blaire Witch Project for me," Colby shivered.

"Stop being a baby," David smirked.

"I'm not...I was just saying how I don't like it," Colby shot back. Meghan just rolled her eyes at her friend.

"So what are we gonna do out here?" David asked.

"Were going to do what we set out to do. Were going to catch Daniel Carr and whoever might have helped them with all those murders...remember supposedly he has a cabin out in these woods somewhere. That's where we thought he was setting everything up remember?" Don explained. The team just stared wide eyed at him.

"Yeah, we remember Don, but I think it may be a little dangerous," Meghan said calmly. Were camping out in the middle of the woods and barely armed."

"Do what you want but I'm going out to find that guy. If you guys aren't going to help me then so be it, I'll go myself," Don shrugged. "Its better then staying in one place and just sitting around waiting for him to come and kill us."

"It's a little late for that agents," a voice snarled behind them. Don whipped around and came face to face with Daniel Carr and several other armed men. Don backed away until he was against the back of the SUV where Colby and Charlie sat. He made sure he was standing in front of his littler brother, shielding him from the men. One thing was certain though, they were out numbered.

"Carr, put the gun down," Don tried to negotiate. Carr just laughed.

"You think I'm gonna fall for that agent?"

"You need to step back Carr," Don said, trying to get him a little farther away from the group.

"Tell you what Agent. Just to make it fair since your all out numbered...we'll give a ten second head running start," Carr chuckled.

Don recalled looking over reports that said Carr liked to make the murders challenging and that he enjoyed playing games with his victims. He hoped this wasn't one of his little games.

"Make it more difficult for you Carr," Don said. "Give us 30 seconds." Don remembered back in training when they said if you could run fast enough, you could get a bit ahead of any danger in 30 seconds.

"Consider it done agent," Carr smirked. "Start...NOW!"

All five members of the team scattered to different parts of the woods while Carr counted loudly.

* * *

Don knew it was stupid to run, but he had no choice in this situation...he was outnumbered eight to 8 to 5. More like 8 to 4 as he thought about it. Charlie was unarmed and really didn't count. Oh god Charlie! He had totally forgotten. All he could think about was how Charlie was out there running from this murderous lunatic.

"30!" Don heard the faint voice of Carr as he ran further into the woods. That's when panic started to fill him. Meghan. Colby, and David were all armed and knew how to take care of themselves, but Charlie was out there, helpless and without a weapon.

"It's gonna be okay," Don thought to himself as he ran through the pitch dark woods. It was just like hide and goes seek, only that if you got caught, you got killed. Don came to a small rivulet. He couldn't see it but he could certainly hear the rushing water in the dark. He pulled out his flashlight and got on his knees. He flashed as low to the ground as he possibly could, hope Daniel Carr and his cronies wouldn't see the quick flash of light. On the side of the creek where Don was, was a little dirt and moss over pass that had probably been caused when the brook flooded. He slowly crawled under the ledge and curled into a ball, praying that neither he, nor anyone else on his team would be found.

* * *

Charlie didn't know how long he had been running but it seemed like ages. He looked to the sky. From the change in the positions of the stars from when he had last seen them before the team had scattered he had been running for about an hour. That was when he realized how exhausted he was. He could just make out the shapes of different objects due to the soft, silver glow of moonlight. He sat down on what he assumed to be a fallen tree and sighed. He had ripped the knee part of his jeans open when he tripped over something on forest floor and tumbled to the ground. He felt the area. The flesh was tender and he could feel the stickiness of blood. He wondered if Meghan, David, Colby, and especially Don had been as lucky as he was. He had escaped Carr and his Hench men. Charlie slid off of the tree and lay beside it. He realized there was a ditch under the fallen tree and rolled into it. It was shallow but it was currently his best hope of shielding him from any person who would come from the direction he had just run from. Charlie knew the situation was urging but sleep kept tugging at him. Though he tried his best to fight it off, it sucked him and soon Charlie was asleep, lost in the middle of the woods.

* * *

David rose from his hiding place. He had hid behind a boulder that was among several other large rocks. He knew it was a stupid hiding place but he had run for quite awhile, hoping he had gotten a far distance from Carr. The only bad thing was that now he was probably a far distance away from the rest of the team. David hoped it was safe to come out of hiding. He tried to survey the area. He had no idea where he was of even what direction he had come from. David knew it was foolish, but he started to walk to the east, away from where he had spent the night. He hoped with luck he would uncover one of his team members.

'Team', David thought. 'More like family.'

David pressed further, slouching towards the ground. He began to pick up speed as he frantically searched for his friends. For about 20 minutes he searched before he came across a rock with drips of blood on it. David tried to dismiss it as sap or something but the more he looked at it, the more it confirmed his fears. As David looked around he realized there was a small trail of blood droplets. He followed it for about 15 minutes when he came to a fallen tree. This was where the trail stopped. David looked around for any sign of life. Relief and panic washed over him when he saw a mop of dark, curly hair sticking up slightly from a shallow ditch under the tree. David crawled over. Charlie's eyes were closed which caused fear to build up in the agent.

"Charlie," David whispered as he shook the mathematician. "Charlie wakes up man."

Charlie awoke with a start, at first thinking he was being shaken by Carr. "Oh God David, I thought you were Carr," The young man gasped. 'But I sure am glad to see you."

"Ditto," David smiled before turning serious. "Are you okay, I followed a trail of blood to you?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I just busted my knee on a rock when I fell," Charlie said.

"Well let me take a look at it," the agent said helping lift Charlie out of the ditch. David winced when he saw the bloody mess on Charlie's knee.

"That looks like it needs stitches," David sighed.

"Props to ya if you can stitch with leave stems and moss threads," Charlie laughed.

"Yeah we'll save that for Meghan," David laughed as he ripped a strip of his shirt off and tied it around Charlie's bleeding knee.

"Do you think the others are okay?" Charlie asked David.

"They can handle themselves," David nodded. "But we should start looking."

"Don't you think Carr we'll find us?" Charlie gulped.

"Charlie I promise you I won't let anything happen to you while were out here okay? Do you trust me?" David said sincerely to the mathematician, putting out his had for Charlie to take to pull himself up.

Charlie nodded and slapped his hand into David's, who pulled him to his feet.

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**Please R&R! THANK YOU SO MUCH!**


	5. Separated

_Okay, you have a right to be mad at me. I haven't updated in ages. I've been so busy with 2softball teamsand the show im in right now! plus piano lessons, crew, basketball and the list goes ever on. Plus the upload form never works! well thank you for all the kind reviews and I'll try to have my next chapter up by next week along with Patterned Targets. Just remember I haven't abandoned you! I have to wait to put anymore chapters up becasue I have shows everynight for the rest of the week...I'm so sorry. Well, I hope you like this chapter and please review!_

* * *

Colby and Meghan were grateful that they had found each among the havoc. They had pretty much stuck together the whole time, even while running away from Carr and the other men. Both hid in a grove of pine trees that had all grown close together, barring them from view. They only prayed that the other 3 members of the party were as lucky as them. 

"I'm sure the three of them are out there together, looking for the two of us," Meghan said trying to lift her spirits. Colby nodded in agreement, hoping the statement was true.

"Do you think Carr and his men are out there now, looking for all of us?" Colby asked.

"I'm not going to lie to you Granger, most likely yes," Meghan conceded.

"That makes me feel a lot better," Colby sighed.

"Yeah well, let's state the obvious, we don't know where the car is or even where we are. We don't know where Don, David, or Charlie are. We don't have food, water, and barely any ammo for our guns. Lets hope out situation doesn't get any worse," Meghan said just as rain began to pour down on them. She turned to the male agent who was glaring back at her.

"You just had to say it."

* * *

Don had been searching all day for his friends and brother. He had no idea where he was or even which was the SUV was. As Don continued his search for the others, ran began to fall from the gloomy, gray sky. 

"Great," he muttered to himself.

He walked along the crunchy leaf covered forest floor, trying to find any sign of his fellow agents and his brother. The thought of any of them being caught by Carr made him shudder. The rain began to come down harder as Don continued his search. Not, paying attention, he rammed into another person and stumbled backward. He drew his gun, as did the other person.

"Don," he heard the familiar voice of Colby Granger.

"Colby!", he breathed with relief. " I thought you were Carr or one of those other lunatics."

"Nah, just me and Meghan," Colby said, holstering his weapon.

"What about Charlie and David?" Don asked hopefully.

"Sorry Don. We haven't found any sign of them," Meghan said looking to the ground.

"Well, let's keep looking," Don said determined.

Meghan and Colby shared a quick glance with one another, than followed after their leader.

* * *

"Where are we?", Charlie called to David through the heavily falling rain. 

"I have no idea. Do you think I've been in these woods before?" David called back.

"No," Charlie sighed, boredly kicking wet leaves and rocks as they walked along.

David walked about five feet ahead of Charlie, carefully scanning the area as they walked along. Charlie just followed behind oblivious to the world until a hand grabbed the front of his shirt and whipped him around.

"Well, well, well, that do we have here?", the man said. Charlie could barely make out the man's face in the rain, let alone that now his curls were sopping wet and in his face. David spun around to see what was happening.

"I...umm...ughh," Charlie stuttered in shock.

"Back away from him if you know what's good for you," David said, his gun pointed at the man who had Charlie in his grasp. The man just cackled, revealing his black and yellow teeth to David.

"You think I'm gonna listen to you Feds," The man chuckled.

"He's not a Fed," David said, nodding his head at Charlie.

"Don't lie to me agent. I don't like liars," The growled, pressing the gun harder into Charlie's head.

"He's not lying," Charlie winced.

"Oh yeah, then what are you?", the mysterious stranger asked Charlie.

"I'm a college professor. I teach applied mathematics," Charlie said with a shaky voice.

Inside David was laughing. The man was now looking at Charlie and was slowly allowing Charlie to slip to the side, giving David a target. Charlie clearly saw what David was trying to do and continued to hold a conversation with the enemy.

"Yeah, it's actually very interesting. I teach a class for people who don't really understand math to much. I welcome you to come," Charlie said.

"Why would I want to...," the man said before a gunshot rang out and he dropped to the ground, bringing Charlie down with him.

"Whew, thanks David," Charlie breathed, smiling up at David who had come to help him up. David grabbed the man's gun and then checked his pockets. He recovered the man's wallet.

"Well this guy definitely isn't from around here. His name's Louis Asellio. He's from Texas and his birth date is January 22, 1949," David read off of his driver's license.

"Over here," A voice yelled through the woods. David and Charlie's heads shot up.

"Brett, Tim, come on I heard a shot," The voice called out, even closer this time. David grabbed Charlie by the front of the shirt and threw in the direction of a small hill in the forest. Charlie stumbled but then began to run. Once at the top of the tiny hill David grabbed him and pulled him down. They watched as three men came over to the dead body of their fellow crook. They were only about 50 feet away from where the scene was unfolding. The rain had subsided, allowing every word they said to be heard.

"Lou! Are you okay?", a man with dark black hair said running over to the still form of Louis Asellio.

"You think he's dead man," Another man with bright, red hair asked.

"Of course he's dead Brett. He ain't moving," the dark haired man replied."Search the area boys. Those Feds should be around here somewhere." The three criminals began searching the area for any sign of federal agents.

David looked over at Charlie who was looking up at him expectantly, looking to him to make the call on what to do next. David grabbed Charlie by the arm and let go of the tree he was holding onto, sending the two men sliding down the leaf covered hillside. They landed at the bottom with a thud.

"Ow, you could have told me you were going to do that," Charlie complained. David chuckled but his happiness was short lived.

"There they are," one of the crooks called pointing down on them from the top of the hill.

"Run!", David screamed as he pulled Charlie up from his place. The two men went almost flying through the woods. They didn't even now how long they had been running when Charlie stopped, almost collapsing onto the ground.

"Whoa whoa whoa, sit down and take a breather man," David said, helping Charlie sit on a near by rock.

"Now were really lost," Charlie said in between gasping for breaths.

"We've been lost," David replied sitting beside him. "I think we lost them though. I wonder where Don, Colby and Meghan are."

* * *

"I'm tired," Colby whined to his fellow co-workers as they sat in the woods, darkness beginning to fall upon them. 

"Shut it Granger," Meghan sighed.

"Will you two just stop," Don groaned, tired of hearing the back and forth bickering.

"I never want to see the woods ever again after this," Colby moaned, receiving a threatening glare from Meghan.

"Think David and Charlie are okay?", Don asked.

"I'm sorry to inform you agent that they are not," a voice growled from behind the group. The three agents turned to find themselves in the presence of Daniel Carr, and several of his men.

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**PLEASE R&R! THANK YOU!**


	6. Reunion

_You can stop being mad at me...I'm on top of my stories now that school is practically over...I know you want to kill me but I promise, I'm on top of it...look for updates now! thansk for the rviews and don't hate me!..I'm sorry fo the lack of update._

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Don's heart sunk into the bottomless pit of his stomach. He gulped as he stared at Carr and three of his men.

"You may as well come with us," Carr smiled.

"I don't believe you," Don growled.

"Well okay then. We'll leave you here while were having fun with your friends," Carr shrugged.

"That doesn't mean anything," Don said, rising from his place.

Carr drew his gun as Don stood up. "What are their names then?" Don asked, clearly not phased by the gun.

"Well I guess we really didn't have the time to ask them," Carr replied. "Right boys." The three men behind Carr nodded their heads.

"I don't believe you've met my men," Carr said, acknowledging his chums behind him. "This is Vince, Marcus, and Blaine. God knows how many more men I have in the woods." Carr was about to go on with his speech when yelling ripped through the thick woods.

"Daniel! Daniel," three more men stopped in front of their leader. "Lou's dead! Those bastard Feds killed him. We went after them but we couldn't catch up to them."

"You lied! My men got away," Don glared at Carr, who just stared back at him along with Colby and Meghan who were not right behind him.

"Your men killed Lou! One of my best friends," Carr said outraged. He raised his gun to Don, Colby and Meghan.

Don turned as fast as he could and pushed his friends toward the woods. They ran for their lives, guns firing at them, bullets ricocheting off trees right beside them. A yell of agony made Don curse. He turned to find Colby on ground, Meghan running to him.

"Colby," Don screamed.

"I'm okay it's just a graze," Colby said struggling to his feet. Don saw a spot of blood beginning to grow on the back of his leg. He helped him up and as fast they could go, Don supported the weight of his friend.

"Come on we have to get out of here," Don said.

"Here let me help," Meghan said taking Colby's other said.

* * *

The sound of bullets had died away and Don figured they had reached far enough to take a short break. It was completely dark out, Making it hard to see Colby's injury. He set Colby down on a fallen tree and took a look..

"It's just a graze," Don stated.

"I'm fine Don, it's nothing," Colby said.

Don looked up a his friend. "Your sure you can go on."

Colby snickered. "Do I really have a choice."

"Nope," Don said as he lifted the burly man to his feet. "Lets get out of here."

* * *

Don, Meghan, and Colby pressed on. Colby walked with a slight limp, but the wound had clotted, much to Don's relief. A sudden snap of a twig behind a nearby bush made the agents spring into action. All three crouched to the ground and drew their guns. Don put his hand up and began to count down from five with his fingers. 1...2...3..4...5! The three agents sprang up and ran behind the bush, tackling two people behind it.

Don pressed his gun agsint the head of the man he was now laying on top of. The man just put his hands up in surrender.

"Please don't shoot me," the man whimpered. The voice was so familiar. Don squinted in the darkness and recognized the large messy mop of dark hair immediately. He found himself on top if his very own brother.

"Charlie," Don said immediately putting his gun back into its holster.

"Don," Charlie gasped. Don got up off his brother and pulled him to his feet.

"Your alive," Don laughed. "You and David." Don turned to see Colby helping the missing agent to his feet.

"Sorry for the whole...tackling thing," Meghan smirked.

"Hey, I wouldn't care if you guys threw rocks at us, as long as we've all found each other," David breaithed a sigh of relief.

"Well, I really wouldn't want rocks thrown at me," Charlie said scratching his head. Everyone just rolled their eyes andlaughed at the absent minded professor.


	7. Crossing

_Thanks for all the review...I hope you like this chapter._

* * *

Darkness surrounded the missing FBI team as they sat, hungry and cold on the damp forest floor.

"Why does it have to be so cold here," Charlie sighed, pulling his black hoodie around him tighter.

"Because, we not in L.A anymore. Were up north in the mountains where it actually gets cold," Don replied half-heartily.

"What are we gonna do for food?" Colby asked. That had actually been the question running through everyones minds. Food. If they didn't freeze to death in the woods, the would certainly starve. And more than any of those, Carr and his men would probably get to them first.

Slowly each member of the team began to fall asleep. First it was Colby, than Meghan. David was still in the stage where you would just grunt to reply to someone. Eventually, Charlie and Don stopped talking to him after all they could get out of him was "Mmm,".

"So what happened to you and David out there?", Don had finally managed to ask his little brother.

"Probably th same thing that happened to you. Colby, and Meghan," Charlie replied through the darkness.

"Carr's men found you?" Don asked.

"They certainly did. But where were lucky to get away, like you three."

"Your not hurt are you?" Don said instinctively. He heard Charlie scoff.

"I'm fine Don, I can take acre of myself," Charlie retorted.

"I told you not to come," Don said, changing the subject.

"Well I did," Charlie responded. "Besides, what's more fun then being lost in the woods, being chased by a bunch of murderous lunatics, and having no food."

"Charlie I'm being serious. You had to be your stubborn self and insisted on coming. Now look at the mess were in," Charlie could hear the anger rising in his brother's voice.

"I insisting on coming to help you. And if I remember correctly, you're the one who agreed to letting me come," Charlie answered with his voice increasing in intensity.

"I was tired of your petty whining," Don snapped.

"Well I decided to come because I knew without me you would get nowhere," the young mathematician barked back.

"You know what I've had enough of you. If you weren't here, we probably wouldn't be in this situation," Don huffed.

"I didn't do anything wrong. You were the one driving if I recall," Charlie argued.

"You know what. Good night, that's enough of listening to your excuses," Don concluded, laying down and shutting out his brother's words. But before he fell asleep he swore he could hear a muttered, "asshole," coming from his brother.

* * *

As the sun rose through the bear trees, the team awakened and decided it was time to move on from this place. Better not to stay around while Carr's men were still out there. As they walked along, Meghan couldn't help but notice the heavy, angry silence between Don and Charlie.

"Typical," Meghan thought to herself. "Leave up to Don and Charlie to be giving each other the silent treatment in this situation."

"Does anybody else hear running water?" David suddenly asked.

"I hear it," Don added. The five of them walked a little further and come to a running stream. The sides of it were frozen but the center was still rushing water. Everyone took a drink of the frigid water, relieving their dehydration.

"You know, forest creeks in the mountains are 82 less contaminated than streams in and near cities," Charlie said.

"Thanks for that useless fact," Don muttered. Charlie scowled down at where his brother was sitting.

"Well at least my head is filled with useless facts and not emptiness," Charlie seethed.

"Yeah well, look where my empty head got me. A great, high paying job, and actually living on my own. Not 30 years old and still living with my dad," Don retorted.

"Hey, guys stop it," Meghan cut in. "Stop being so petty." Charlie and Don just glared at each other before they turned away.

"Hey guys look! There's fish in the creek," David pointed out.

"Maybe we won't have to starve after all," Colby said, a bit more light-heartedly.

"Me and my dad used to go fishing when I was a kid. Sometimes we would go in the shallows and see who could just grab the fish. My dad bet me five bucks I couldn't do it, and my first try POW! I grabbed a huge bass with my bear hands," David explained as he waded into the freezing water till the water was up to his shins.

"Who would have guessed that David was Mr. Nature Boy," Colby laughed.

"See if you get any fish to eat Granger," David replied, concentrating on the water below him. "These fish better come soon or else my legs are gonna freeze off."

"Not you're going to get sick. Smart one," Meghan sighed. At that moment David lunged his arm into the water and pulled up a large silvery fish.

"Way to go David," Charlie complimented.

"Well guys and girls. Looks like were having fish tonight," David said happily.

* * *

That night, the team sat around a fire enjoying the three fish David had caught. Glad that they finally had empty stomachs, they put out the fire and tired to get some rest, for who knew what the next day would bring.

"I saw the fire somewhere over here," Don heard a voice whisper in his semi-consciousness. He opened his eyes and allowed them to adjust in the darkness.

"I swear it was over here."

"Carr," Don muttered. They had found them. Don turned over to his sleeping companions and lightly shook them awake.

"Get up and be quiet! Carr and his men are here," Don whispered. The team got up quietly and scurried off into the woods. It was hard to tell where they going in the blackness, many times tripping over rocks and fallen branches. Don looked behind them. Only about 50 yards away, where they had been sleeping, he could see five me with a lantern. Carr's men to be exact.

"Go! We have to get out of here," Don said, pushing his brother.

"Don't push me," Charlie said.

"Be quiet or you're gonna get us caught," Don answered his brother.

"There they are," one of them men pointed to them in the darkness.

"Oh here we go again...RUN," Don called. Once again there they were, trained FBI agents...and a math professor, running further into the woods, away from a bunch of hillbilly men. Don was getting tired of it. He was sent out here to stop these men. Instead, they were running away from the, not even bothering to attempt to shoot them, afraid they would be overrun. The sun began to rise high in the sky, when the team came to a frozen over lake.

"We have to go around it," David said.

"We can't, by now that will take to long, those men are right behind us. Besides, Carr and his men are probably all over out there," Don explained. He pointed up to where they could barely see small docks. If you looked hard enough, you could see two men on each one. There was one on each end of the lake. "They know were coming here. The only way out is to cross it."

"Don, they'll just come right after us," Colby said.

"We have a better chance at crossing, than waling right into their traps," Don said, irritated.

David looked down the sides of the lake. It was absolutely huge. He could barely make out the end of it on each sides.

"Are we sure were not at the great lakes," David joked.

"Yeah well, we have to cross it,"Don sighed. He stepped out onto he ice. It seemed pretty solid.

"Don this isn't a good idea," Meghan confessed.

"We don't have a choice," he answered the female agent. She stepped out onto the ice, followed by the rest of the team. They could hear the distant shout's of Carr's men.

"Let's do this,"Don said, turning around and beginning to walk on the slippery ice. They slowly walked along, their pace getting faster when the realized Carr's men began to set out on the ice after them. A group coming from each end.

"Were dead ducks," Charlie gulped as he looked at the men coming from way off in the distance.

"Just keep walking," Don growled at his brother, who just sighed and began to walk ahead of him. Don shook his head. He didn't know why everything his brother said to him was annoying him, it just was. He sighed in frustration. He watched as his brother walked ahead of him about ten feet before the rest of the team. He knew Charlie was panicking. Carr's men were coming after them on all sides, and he wasn't that great of swimmer either. Don remembered when they were ids and they would go up to the lake for vacation and Charlie would never go swimming. One time, Don pushed him in off the dock. Charlie screamed at the top of his lungs while Don just pointed and laughed. Eventually, Don went into bring his brother to shore. He didn't want his mom or dad hearing his screams, then rushing out and asking what happened. Don winced now at the memory. How could he have been so cruel to his little brother back then? "Back then," was all he thought. Even now he was cruel to his brother.

Don looked up when he heard a large crashing noise. Right before his eyes, he watched as the ice broke away from under his brother's feet, and Charlie went plunging into the icy depths below.

"Charlie!" Don screamed, running to the hole that had just engulfed his brother. Meghan, Colby, and David came right behind him. Don stuck his arm down the hole but didn't feel anything but the frigid water.

"Colby hold my feet," Don yelled. "Meghan and David... you're going to have fend off Carr's men." They looked at Don understandingly, then drew their guns and turned around, ready to fight. Don plunged his top half into the water while Colby held his feet. Nothing...he felt nothing. His whole body felt like pins were being pushed through it. The water was freezing. Don could barely move. He opened his eyes and didn't see anything but the blackness of the dark, murky lake water. He caught a flash down below and squinted. It was the silver colored zipper on Charlie's hoodie. About 10 feet down was his brother. He could see his pallid skin against the dark water. Don came up to pull in oxygen. What he came up to he wouldn't forget. Meghan and David were shooting around like crazy. Carr's men had finally gotten close. three o them were laying dead on the ice while four more still came at the team. Don turned his attention away from the gunfight and to Colby, who was looking at Don expectingly.

"He's down there about 10 or 15 feet. I'm going to get him," Don yelled over the gunshots. Before Colby could object, Don jumped into the chilled water. The cold was like a slap in the face. Thefelt the ari whoosh out him. "Charlie, was what Don thought, and willed his limbs to move through the brutally frigis water.The agent swam down further and further until he reached his brother.

"Please don't be dead," Don thought. He grabbed Charlie by his hood. He tried to swim to the surfacebut felt to wake to even flex his finger.He looked up an could see the opening in the ice. It seemed so far away. With all of his might, he pushed up to the surface, his brother in tow. By this time, Meghan, David and Colby were all part of the gunfight, but Don didn't care. All he cared about was his brother. He pulled them up onto the ledge of ice and checked Charlie over. That was when he realized, that Charlie wasn't breathing.

* * *

**Dun Dun dun...what happens next. PLEASE R&R! THANK YOU!**


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